50 Computer Based Home Business Ideas (That You Can Start Without Investment)

Last Updated July 21, 2017 (This post may contain affiliate links.)

It’s very rare to find a person nowadays that doesn’t own a computer, be it a desktop or a laptop, sometimes even both. Computers have become a part of our everyday lives.

All business owners and employees use computers in varying degrees to perform tasks needed to effectively run a business or related to their employment.

This includes:

Emailing

Marketing

Developing advertising material

Searching the internet for information

Accounting

Storing documents

Filing taxes

And many more

A huge variety of business functions can now be performed anywhere a person has access to a computer, thereby enabling people to work from home or a remote office, wherever that “office” happens to be.

And as more and more of our stuff gets done online, the need for people that can do a variety of tasks on the computer rises as well.

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So, if you ever wanted to start your own home based business, but didn’t have the money to invest, this is the time to do it.

The best thing about running a computer related business is that you don’t really need that much money. If you have a computer and access to the internet, you’re half way there.

Here is a list of computer-based businesses you can start from home.

1. Consulting Services

A high income can be earned by people that are considered vastly experienced in their field of work, have a specialized skill or extensive knowledge in an area, through the provision of consulting services.

The use of computers and software programs will help deliver these services more effectively.

2. Desktop Publishing

If you are tech savvy, you could earn a significant income creating complex documents and graphics, all while working from home.

3. Tape Back-up Services

Savvy businesses usually perform a weekly, if not daily, backup of all company information, after working hours, to ensure that data is not lost in the event of a disaster or virus entering their network.

You can run a business which performs the task of copying the data and transferring it to an offsite location.

4. Temporary Assistance

This is an ideal home-based business opportunity for those having a wide range of office skills.

Companies temporarily outsource functions, like payroll processing, where an employee is on leave for an extended period of time, or to cope with high peak periods, such as Christmas time.

6. Nanny Referral Service

It can be increasingly difficult these days to get back to work if a break had been taken to care for children, so people that have to work to maintain their career momentum and those that work in demanding professions or are well off financially, hire nannies to look after their children.

A referral service that connects such families with trustworthy nannies will be in high demand, and a computer would be needed to keep track of all the relevant information.

7. People Tracing

If you like the idea of being a private investigator and have good skills in finding out information, you could track missing people wanted for legal, financial or personal motives.

5. Freight Brokering

A freight broker introduces businesses to freight service providers, and earns a commission for this service based on shipping volumes.

8. Medical Billing

This business service records data to complete medical claims, which are then electronically filed with either insurance companies or relevant government agencies.

9. Financial Management

Finance managers can easily perform a large part of their job description from home, with the help of online information systems and specialized financial management software installed on their computers.

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Another option is to provide a personal financial management service which assists individuals in managing their financial matters, such as reconciling check books, assisting in managing their debt repayments and other expenditures, etc.

10. Income Tax Preparation

Run a home-based business using specific software to assist people prepare and file tax returns for a fee.

11. Property Management

Those running a home-based property management business will need to rely heavily on their computer to perform a vast array of tasks, such as word-processing, developing databases and spreadsheets, storing and managing personal information, as well as accounting.

13. Word Processing

Perform word processing on behalf of people who are not proficient in the use of these programs or computers.

12. Computer Assembly

If you know how to make personal computers by assembling parts and components, you can sell them for a much lower price than the commercially manufactured branded models.

14. Billing and Invoicing

Special billing software can be used to enter data, invoice clients, track overdue accounts, and debt collection, on behalf of businesses.

15. Computer Sales

With people and businesses regularly upgrading their computers, a computer salesperson can earn substantial commissions, especially in highly specialized markets.

Sales can be made directly to end-users or retailers, both locally and internationally.

16. Abstracting Service

If you are good at summarizing information contained in articles, etc. into a few paragraphs, you could perform an abstracting service using your computer from the comfort of your own home.

17. Bulletin Board

You can set up a bulletin board where subscribers post and receive information.

18. Travel Agent

A home-based travel agent can perform the same job as one based on office premises, minus the hefty overhead costs, meaning more profit for the same effort, thanks to the use of a computer having the relevant software installed.

19. Clip Art

If you have creative flair, you could design and produce clip-art using a computer in the comfort of your home.

20. Computer Loan Auditing

A few fees here and there can really end up making quite a dent in a person’s wallet, but few of us actually have the time to cross-check to insure that all the fees that we get charged are correct.

A home-based business that assesses a customer’s loans and home mortgages, phone bills, etc. to make sure there are no over payments in fees can earn commissions on savings made by the customer.

21. Freight Bill Auditing

Help companies reduce their shipping costs by analyzing their truck, rail or air freight expenses through the use of software programs, manuals and rate guides.

22. Utility Bill Auditing

Just because a cheap deal on a utility was sourced at the beginning doesn’t mean it will continue to be once periodic increases take effect.

A computer can be used to analyze expenditure on utilities to ensure clients continue to pay the best rate available in the market.

23. Computer Upgrades and Repair

As technology evolves at a fast pace, people will need to keep upgrading their hardware and/or software.

Services can be offered in installing up- to-date software or fixing bugs in the computer system.

24. Educational Financial Aid Consultant

This service identifies grants, loans, and other types of financial assistance which students can apply for to help fund their higher education, by searching through national databases and resources.

25. Employment Sourcing

This business searches through information found in databases to identify job openings for clients looking for work.

26. Executive Recruitment

Anyone interested in recruitment could operate a home-based business by using their computers to access contact management programs in order to identify executive placement prospects.

27. Medical Transcription

Similar to legal transcriptionists, those knowledgeable in medical jargon transcribe audio recordings by medical professionals into documents.

28. Software Sales

Earn an income as a software reseller, and you could also supplement your earnings by providing value added services such as installation and staff training on the use of the software.

29. Mortgage Consultant

Your computer can be used in a variety of ways to help run your home-based business as a mortgage consultant.

For example, it can generate and process documents, search online databases and information sources for the best available rates, and identify potential commercial lenders to provide funds.

30. Answering Service

If you can set up multiple telephone lines, you can run a home-based answering service, where you receive calls made to businesses. Details and recordings of the messages are then sent to your client through email or fax.

31. Legal Transcription

Those having a good knowledge of legal terminology can transcribe court proceedings, and any other audio recordings used in the legal industry, such as depositions, into documents.

32. Legal Notereaders

This is basically a type of proofreading service, which checks the accuracy of legal transcriptions.

33. Referral Service

Run a local directory of people offering various services, like plumbing, landscaping, etc. by using your computer to manage this platform, including publication and marketing.

34. Publishing

Home-based entrepreneurs can run a business providing publishing services for a variety of printed and online material, such as books, brochures, etc.

35. Software Publishing

Publishing and selling specialized software is a lucrative home-based business opportunity.

36. Public Relations Consultant

While this can be run as a home-based business, a public relations consultant will spend a significant amount of time in external meetings and conferences.

As the business grows, a computer will be a valuable tool to store and keep track of important communication and contacts.

37. Secretarial Services

Some businesses don’t need or can’t afford a full-time receptionist.

Secretarial functions can be performed through a home-based business offering services such as answering calls that are diverted to their home phone; reading, responding and forwarding emails; as well as minor administrative tasks.

38. Computer Consultant

Those knowledgeable in computers or have worked in an IT department, can offer their services to businesses needing help with making decisions on the right computer equipment and software to purchase, as well as configuring the IT infrastructure.

39. Children’s Publications

Computers can be used to create either eBooks or printed books.

The whole range of functions such as drafting the manuscript, illustrations, communicating with publishers, designing the cover page, advertising and selling can all be done using a computer.

Books can be sold locally, nationally, or even internationally depending on how wide you want your reach to be.

40. Bookkeeping

Some business owners are too busy to prepare their financial data, so by using certain software, a business providing bookkeeping services can do this for them.

41. Data Conversion Services

A home-based business can be run providing data conversion services, which transfers massive amounts of data regarding business transactions, and so on.

42. Internet Services

A vast number of companies sell their products and services online, and may procure the services of a home-based internet service business to help them run their marketing campaigns and manage their online presence.

43. Laser Printer Cartridge Recharging

You can make money and help reduce landfills by recharging, refurbishing and reselling laser printer toner cartridges.

44. Desktop Video

Home-based creative types can run a business editing videos using specialized software.

45. Payroll Processing

A home-based business performs the payroll processing function using HR software for companies that do not need a dedicated employee on their premises to do this.

46. List Management

Those that are proficient in working with databases can run a home-based business providing services to companies in maintaining their mailing lists.